Wagon Wheel

There's a sign on the way to J&J, a sign for the Oregon Scenic Route. It bears a picture of a wagon wheel detached from a wagon, leaning up against something.
To me, at least initially, it's a quaint picture of some old fashioned item. It reminds me of the Oregon Trail and a time when life was slower; it arouses calm thoughts and nothing stressful.

But what did a detached wagon wheel mean to the 1850's Oregon Trailers?
Maybe it engendered hope, if the wheel was a spare to replace a busted counterpart. More likely, it suggested despair, if the observer had previous experience with broken down wagons and littered parts. Maybe it was to them like hub caps and torn up tire tread are to us.
Chances are, they didn't think detached wagon wheels were scenic at all.